The 'Other' Car . . .

[Bullethead]

That's a helluva Christmas present Rick, glad you're OK. Will you look for another E30? Definitely one of BMW's all-time winning platforms!

[62S-R-S]

More of a question than comment to others : impact pics seem to indicate tinted glass at the side. Beneficial for sunny days, sure, but is this a safety issue for night driving.. driver errors being expected, and factoring in 15% reduced vision.

Have always dreaded the idea for that reason.

[moito]

Heading to work this morning, on my usual route, @~0430 PST, I'd stopped at a traffic light, then --- at the green, headed-out across the intersection . . . after casually glancing left and right

Was just about half-way across . . . when I hear tires screeching. Then a moment later, something comes out of the darkness to my left, and? . . .



. . . BOOM!



Got spun around ~90 degrees. The Other Guy continued on for a few yards, then pulled over on the right shoulder

Smaller car, '03 Toyota Corolla --- probably around the same size/weight as my BMW, but . . .



. . . most of what was forward of my little BMW's A-pillar was now twisted a coupla feet to the right of where it started-out when we left the garage this morning


And all this damage happened AFTER The Other Guy had already skidded about 100 meters to the point of contact


!


The only reason his car stopped at all? . . .


. . . was my Little Pony


398k mi


And that's all she wrote



Never had any car this long, with so many miles, on so many adventures


Gonna miss this one


A lot



............

very sad to see...

pretty much reminds me of my E30 wreck back in the `90ies(pre-digital age--hence the photos of the photos)... i rebuilt it with a front clip from a donor car i found in a scrap-yard nearby.

[LongRanger]

. . . More of a question than comment to others : impact pics seem to indicate tinted glass at the side. Beneficial for sunny days, sure, but is this a safety issue for night driving.. driver errors being expected, and factoring in 15% reduced vision.

Have always dreaded the idea for that reason . . .

Regarding the tint . . . can't really say

It was 0430 on the last work day before the Christmas Break. I wasn't in a hurry and there was nothing particular on my mind . . . just toddling-off to work

I do recall noticing a white pick-up coming-up on my right --- but that part of the street was illuminated by the lights at a gas station at the corner. The left side was dark --- an open field without any street lights. I usually keep aware of ANY traffic around an intersection I'm crossing --- hey, we all speed and run lights, from time-to-time . . . but I don't recall seeing any traffic or car lights coming-up from that side

Until, of course . . . I did

Personally? --- from looking at his skid marks? . . . my Assailant must've been WAY BEYOND my normal field of view at the intersection = moving at a really-REALLY high rate of speed . . . when he decided to go for it

Regarding the window tint . . . it was relatively mild one --- maybe 10%? . . . just enough to keep the plastics in the interior from liquifying during our 115F/46C Summers. NOT the >30% 'Gangster' tint most people seem so fond of around here




Anyway --- since the incident . . . I'm back to the 'Five Second Rule' from my days living in Santa Ana . . .


. . . wait five seconds before crossing any intersection


..

[LongRanger]

. . . my trusty BMW is gone --- USAA already sent me a check

17 years, 398k mi = $6k


Still doing chiropractic 3 times/week . . . but no more headaches + my neck is 90%


And I've found/purchased another car . . .

. . . one I've wanted for a long, long time



'15 Volkswagen Golf TDi, 6-speed . . .

. . . <20k mi



Picking it up Saturday

More to come



.

[Chris Pomares]

2011 A6 C6 3.0T Avant. I've transported a couple Porsche engines to Cali and back in the back of that car.. I drive careful as I have a battleship round sitting behind my back if I was in a bad accident. It's my parts car.
The only modification is Audi Q5 4 piston breaks up front. It is a huge gain in stopping power.

[LongRanger]

. . . helluva Christmas present Rick, glad you're OK. Will you look for another E30? Definitely one of BMW's all-time winning platforms! . . .

Hey, Russ . . .

Altogether, I've had 5 e30s --- easily one of my (if not THE) all-time favorites. Mechanically sturdy and straight-forward, nice + long-wearing interiors, everything else durable and serviceable. Plus --- they're a ball to drive. Upright seating with lotsa glass, light-weight and easy to tear around in. I've done just about everything you can do with 'em --- except track 'em. Over the years, I upgraded everything in the chassis --- springs, shocks, stabilizer bars, all the suspension pick-ups, bushings, brakes, bigger wheels + wider tires . . . I mean, everything under the car was totally tweaked. Most people just saw a cute sedate-looking little beater . . .

. . . 'till any corners showed-up. Then the car was a terror

And I still got >30 MpG


I did do a quick search for a replacement. Actually found a twin --- Alpineweise II, black, 'roof, everything . . . but the Seller was kindova kook. Soured me

Considered getting another M3 . . . but even a 'beater' would be pricey. And then I'd have to sort that one out. And I've already had a couple, soooo . . . been there

Looked at Tourings, too. (Again) But to bring one over + build it up = too much time + money + energy + hassle


I may still pick something up. I'm on BaT like, everyday, anyway . . .

. . . but it looks like I'm gonna off e30s for awhile . . .




.......

[Chris Pomares]

One of my other daily driver cars from the past was a 1983 E28 533i. What a neat car. Probably the easiest car to work on I've ever owned. I bought a crashed 1985 gray market Euro 635 and pulled the 218hp Euro spec engine, A nice bump from the stock 180hp unit. I also pulled the 3 piece transmission, and other misc. parts. I found some 88 M5 front brakes, sway bars, some 540i vented disc rear brakes, some used Recaros, and had the front and rear seat materials matched. I miss that car. i would love to find a Euro M535iS with the slim bumpers. For me they are just very cool cars.

[uai]

Never having owned an e30, but for a daily transport my favourite is and probably will ever be a manual e39 touring.
I have the e34 M5 touring for fun, but compared to an e39 it's a bit "old", so a nice 540 manual touring is imho the car I'd like to drive till the end of ICE (ok an e34 540 6 speed manual might be an option too). It's the no-nonsense reliable cheap extremely comfy car that I really like to drive with a totally predicatable behavior. I often talk my wife into using my company car (modern Audi A4 Quattro) so I can use her old BMW e39.